Adaptations

Adaptations

Part Four

Harry awoke the morning of August the first feeling better than he had in ages. Sirius was still alive, and that meant that he could be saved. Harry had felt so elated that no nightmare could come close to him, Voldemort or no. Cho had stayed only long enough to be sure that he was all right and then she had returned to Mrs. Figg's to Floo home before the Dursleys returned.

Harry jumped out of bed and took his morning shower, his mind reeling with plans on how to get Sirius back out of the archway. He would need help to rescue him, and that was where the problems lay. Remus Lupin and Professor Dumbledore were the obvious choices for assistance but they were also the least likely to believe him. Remus was likely still furious about the row they had had at the beginning of July, about Harry's decision to leave Privet Drive whenever he liked. Since then, no one had tried to stop him from leaving, but neither had Remus or Dumbledore so much as sent him an owl. Still, he needed help and that meant he had nowhere else to turn but his best friends, Hermione and Ron. Surely, they would want to help him. They had been willing to go to the Department of Mysteries before to rescue Sirius and nothing had really changed now, had it? He needed to meet with them, and quickly. Harry decided to send off some notes that very morning.

Heading downstairs after getting dressed, Harry was prepared to deal with the Dursleys, it was fairly simple now that they were mostly ignoring him, but he wasn't prepared for the sight that met him as he entered the kitchen. Remus Lupin sat at the Dursley's kitchen table, sharing a cup of tea with his Aunt Petunia.

"Oh yes," chatted Remus amiably, "it was obvious that James was totally smitten with Lily from almost the beginning of our fifth year." Aunt Petunia sat there, tight lipped, and didn't say a word. Remus continued on as if that were the most natural thing in the world. "Lily, of course, loathed James. He was constantly trying to show off, trying to get her attention the same way that he got all the other girls to swoon over him, but none of it worked. In fact, the more he showed off, the more Lily despised him." Remus turned as the door swung shut behind Harry. "Oh, there you are Harry! I thought you'd sleep the entire morning away, not that your lovely aunt hasn't been delightful company." Aunt Petunia looked as if she wanted to be sick. "Would you care for a cup of tea? How about some toast?"

Harry just shook his head dumbly.

"No? Oh well then, what say we be off?" Remus tossed Harry something shiny and Harry caught it out of reflex. Looking in his palm, he saw it was an old key on a ring. The ring had a cracked leather fob and Harry could just make the word "Triumph" embossed on it before he felt a familiar, somewhat sickening tug and realized that the key was a portkey. He tried to get rid of the key but it was too late; he was already gone.

Harry tumbled to the cold stone floor of a dimly lit room. He barely had time to sense that other people were also there when a sharp crack announced the arrival of Remus.

"You know, Harry," he said easily, "your father never got the knack of that either. He could never keep his feet when he landed." Remus reached out a hand and helped Harry to his feet. "It got so that he would just refuse to go anywhere if he had to use a Portkey. Sirius," Remus' face darkened for a moment, "and I used to have quite a bit of fun tricking him into it."

Harry looked around the room; he was in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place, Sirius' house. Sitting at the table was Professor Dumbledore gazing at him serenely over his half-moon spectacles with his fingers steepled under his chin. Across the table, also staring at him but with a look no one would describe as serene, was Severus Snape, in his usual black robes and smelling of old potions ingredients. Remus moved and took another of the mismatched chairs and motioned Harry to join them.

"So, Harry," Professor Dumbledore began, "I hope your summer holiday has been going well?" Harry just nodded, unwilling to admit that his summer so far had been one the best ever. "Ah, well," Dumbledore continued, "as you can tell, we have decided that keeping you restricted to your Aunt and Uncle's house was not needed after all and that, as long as you continue to take reasonable precautions, you should be allowed a certain amount of freedom to move about and do as you wish." Again, Harry just nodded, not trusting himself to speak yet.

"A small show of gratitude would not be unreasonable at this point, Potter. But I suppose expecting that would be..."

Harry snapped at his Potions Master, "Why should I be grateful for your not doing something that you have no right to do in the first place?"

Snape was about to retort but the Headmaster cut him off with a gesture. "Quite a valid point, Harry. We have no legal right to restrain you; however we all are quite concerned about your welfare."

Harry wanted to say something about the value of their concern but choked it back. Instead, he simply nodded.

Dumbledore continued, "However, we are concerned over the incidents that occurred during your birthday party."

Harry was puzzled, 'What birthday party?'

Remus suddenly understood Harry's confusion and explained. "Harry, yesterday, for your birthday, the Weasleys came to Little Whinging; they were going to throw you a surprise party, but..."

"But Voldemort beat them to it," Harry finished. "Nobody told me that they were coming. Why not?"

"Well, if they had told you then it wouldn't have been a surprise, now would it?" Dumbledore answered calmly. "We understand that this is not the first time this summer that Voldemort has attacked you in such a way."

Harry shook his head, "No, he's done it a few times, just never that intensely, or for that long."

Dumbledore nodded, seeming to think about this for a moment. "We are also concerned about what happened after Voldemort's attack. You're dreaming that Sirius was still alive."

"It wasn't a dream and Sirius IS still alive." Harry tried to remain calm, to think things through. How had they known about his vision, about his talk with Sirius? He had told Cho, had she told the Order? Did she betray him just as Marietta had betrayed the D.A.? He shook his head; he didn't want to believe it. How else could they have known? He was watched, he knew that, but were they sneaking into his bedroom? Were they staying that close to him? Did they trust him so little? Harry's anger began to build again. Without thinking about it, Harry's thumb began to rub the palm of his right hand.

Remus' voice was calm as he spoke. "Harry, how can you be sure? We all saw Sirius die..."

"No," said Harry firmly, "we saw him fall through the curtain in that archway. He was alive when he fell, I saw it. We didn't see him die."

"Harry, that room is called the 'Death Room' for a reason. That veil... it covers the portal to another realm, the realm of the dead. Anyone who passes through it is dead."

"How do you know that?" Harry wanted to ask if they had heard the voices but somehow Harry knew that they hadn't. Just like so many people couldn't see the Thestrals that pulled the carriages at school, they just couldn't.

"Harry, the Unspeakables have been studying that portal for years. And no one who has gone through has ever come back."

"Just because nobody's done it yet, doesn't mean it can't be done," Harry said obstinately.

"Typically arrogant," sneered Snape. "You think you know better than everyone else."

"No," Harry snapped back, "I don't think I know everything, but I do know one thing. I know that anything is possible. And a door works both ways. If you can go through one side then you ought to be able to go through from the other."

"Then why hasn't anyone ever done it?" asked Snape in his self-satisfied way.

Harry just hung his head. He had no answer and Snape knew it.

"Black is dead," he intoned with finality, like some form of justice had been done.

"NO, HE'S NOT DEAD!" Harry screamed. "I spoke with him!"

"In a dream," answered Snape. "It was all a dream planted by the Dark Lord."

"No! It wasn't."

"How do you know that?"

"I don't know how I know, but I know. This was different than the dreams. It was real. I'm certain."

"Just like you were so certain that your vision of Sirius being tortured was real?" Snape was sneering widely now. "It took everyone in the Order to save your stupid life then, and it cost Black his. You were wrong then and you are wrong now."

"No, this is different. Sirius is alive."

Dumbledore stopped Snape's retort with a small gesture. "Harry, I understand that you are convinced that this was a true vision. You believe it with all your heart. But you must admit that you also want it to be true." Harry nodded slowly. "Looking at this objectively, how can we tell that this was different than the vision you had of Sirius being tortured?"

Harry shook his head. He didn't know how to explain it. This was different. This wasn't a dream that he watched, this had been real, but how could he convince them?

"This is pointless," Snape said. "The boy obviously doesn't understand. Ever since Voldemort realized he could send Potter these visions, he has been using him. He is of no further use to us."

Dumbledore nodded, a little sadly it seemed, in agreement. "Yes, Harry's ability to see what Voldemort was doing was a valuable tool, but now that Voldemort knows of it and can use the link as well... At least we were able to save Arthur." Dumbledore steepled his fingers under his chin once again and thought for a moment before continuing. "Harry, I think it best that you resume your study of Occlumency. Professor Snape," the self-satisfied sneer was now wider than ever on the Potion Masters face, "has agreed to resume his tuition, provided that you take it seriously. Can you do that?"

"No," said Harry flatly. Snape's mouth opened in shock for a second before reforming into his trademark sneer, but Dumbledore's eyes merely widened ever so slightly.

"Harry," he said calmly, "I think it is vitally important that you learn Occlumency. You must learn to block these attacks by Lord Voldemort."

"Yes, it is important. And that's why I've been studying. On my own."

Snape's sneer didn't shift an iota. "On your own? And have you learned to block him then?"

"No," Harry admitted, "I haven't, but I can hold him off now and that was more than I could do before." Harry felt his hand begin to tingle as if it was falling asleep. He flexed it to keep the blood flowing. Remus noticed this, and also noticed that Dumbledore was watching it as well.

"You've learned to isolate yourself, you mean," Snape continued. "You've at least shown the sense not to give him what he wants. But you haven't the slightest idea of how to block his attacks."

"Oh, and you do?"

"I have been blocking the Dark Lord's probes for quite some time."

"Yuh think?"

"If I hadn't, I wouldn't be alive today, you silly child."

"That's really what you believe?" Harry was flexing his arm now, trying to stop the tingling that was slowly moving up from his hand towards his chest. "Do you really think that you have hidden anything from him? Do you think he doesn't know exactly what you're doing?"

Dumbledore was watching Harry closely, his head tilted ever so slightly to one side.

"If the Dark Lord had any inkling that I was a spy then I would be dead, as dead as Black."

"I can agree with that at least," Harry said. "Sirius is just as alive as you are, and Voldemort has known all along that you're a spy."

Snape's face twisted in fury but before he could reply Harry continued, "He said so himself in the graveyard just after he got his body back. He knew you were a spy then but he never expected you to actually try to come back."

"Then why hasn't he killed me?"

"Because he's using you instead. You talk about how he has been using me, or how he wants to use me. What a joke! He's been feeding lies to Dumbledore through you all along. You've been played a royal fool."

"How could he have? I'm the one who discovered that he was aware of your link and that you witnessed the attack on Arthur Weasley." Snape's mouth still sneered but his eyes betrayed his doubt.

"Now who's arrogant?" Harry asked, sneering back at the older man. "Voldemort has known about the link all along ."

Snape stumbled, "How... how could he have?"

"He was sending me those dreams of the Department of Mysteries ever since he came back."

"What?" all three men asked, almost in unison.

"Yeah, I'd been having those dreams since the beginning of last summer. He just couldn't figure out why I wasn't doing anything about them."

"That's impossible," Snape said. Harry just snorted.

"Why didn't you tell us about these dreams?" asked Dumbledore.

"Because I didn't know they meant anything!" Harry practically screamed.

"But Harry..." Remus began, Harry turned on him like a hound on a scent.

"What? I'm supposed to tell everyone about every single dream I have? Do you want to know what I dreamt about Cho last night? Is it any of your business?" Harry looked at the three men. "I had a bunch of pointless dreams about a dark corridor, how was I supposed to know they meant anything? If I had had any clue to what they meant maybe I would have said something, but I didn't. You all made sure of that! Voldemort just couldn't believe I wasn't doing anything. So, just to make sure that I was receiving his dreams, he let me watch Mr. Weasley being attacked. When he was rescued he knew that I was getting the dreams. He just couldn't believe I was too ignorant to understand them."

Remus began to slowly shake his head. "And so he..."

"And so he let Snape know that he knew about the link. Snape trots back to Dumbledore like a good little lamb and bleats out what HE has learned. He brags how HE is a master of Occlumency and so HE gets to teach ME how to do it. All the while Voldemort knows full well that Snape is a dismal failure and his lessons would most likely leave me weaker and easier to attack. That was why the dreams got worse after I started studying. It was all a part of Voldemort's plan, and everyone just puttered right along the path he set." Harry had no idea what was going to happen. He had never, NEVER, spoken to a teacher like this before. But, somehow, Harry didn't care; it was the truth and he didn't care who got hacked over it.

"That is absolutely ridiculous!" Snape said, but it was obvious that everyone believed it. "You're just an arrogant, lying little..."

He never got a chance to finish as Harry screamed, "I AM NOT A LIAR!"

Dumbledore half stood to try to gain some control over the situation. "If we could all, please, remain calm," he said.

"You have no idea of what you're talking about. I have been watching Voldemort for more than a year now," Snape said, ignoring the headmaster's warning.

"Then you've been a fool for a year. You're a dupe. You've been used even worse than I have."

Remus reached out a hand to hold Harry back but Dumbledore stopped him and with a slight shake of his head indicated that Remus should sit still. He stroked his long beard thoughtfully and continued to watch Harry.

"He has no idea where my loyalties lie."

"He knows everything."

"You're wrong!"

"Fool."

"No."

"Your own arrogance has blinded you. You're nothing but a miserable failure."

Snape just sputtered.

"You've always been a failure," Harry spoke with years of built-up hatred. "You're even a failure at being a traitor. Can't you do anything right?"

Snape stood and his wand was in his hand in an instant. "We'll see who is wrong here. Legilimens!"

Harry saw this as if in slow motion. He knew the spell was coming and somehow he was ready for it. As it hit, he was prepared. The mantra began to repeat in his head. Myoho Nhomei Rhingho Kyo... Myoho Nhomei Rhingho Kyo... He could feel the spell probing into his mind but he kept repeating the mantra. Myoho Nhomei Rhingho Kyo... Myoho Nhomei Rhingho Kyo... The tingling sensations had now spread all the way up his arm and began to move across his chest. Myoho Nhomei Rhingho Kyo... He felt his heart begin to flutter. Myoho Nhomei Rhingho Kyo... The tingling was spreading further. Myoho Nhomei Rhingho Kyo... His whole body seemed to vibrate. Myoho Nhomei Rhingho Kyo... As if of its own accord, his hand pulled his wand and pointed at Professor Snape. Harry could see beads of sweat begin to trickle down Snape's long nose to drip onto the floor.

"Legilimens!" a voice he barely recognized as his own called.

In a flash, Snape flew back against the wall, his eyes widened and Harry began to see a flood of memories passing before him. Snape evaporating the contents of his cauldron in Potions class. Snape sitting at the Staff table watching Harry getting sorted; a look of disgust on his face as the sorting hat calls out "Gryffindor!" Snape running through the Forbidden Forest, heading for the castle. A young Snape pausing on the steps of the Hogwarts Express turning with his wand in his hand, as it begins to point at the back of another, black-haired, young man, it flies away from him and into the waiting grasp of an equally young Sirius Black, who snaps it cleanly in two. Here was a crowded corridor, a young Severus Snape casts a tripping spell and Harry watched as James tumbled down a flight of stairs.

With a fierce shake of is head, Snape finally broke the spell. Harry could see him panting as he stood braced against the wall. Harry saw his eyes widen.

"How dare you do that! How dare you invade my private thoughts!" he spoke.

"How dare I?" Harry heard his voice answer. "Turn about is fair play, Snivellus." Remus began to stand but Dumbledore once again restrained him. "It was you who started this so don't waste your breath trying to act offended when it gets turned against you."

"You arrogant little bas..."

Harry's wand was pointed at his professor's throat. "You don't really want to finish that sentence, do you?"

The two pairs of eyes were locked for a moment until, with a blink, Snape turned his away. "You have no right to go probing into thoughts that are none of your business, just as you had no right to look into that Pensieve."

"Oh, don't even begin to peddle THAT load of codswollop here. Do you really think anyone actually believes it?" Harry had no idea where this was coming from, but it was obviously having an effect on Snape. His eyes were wide and he began to lick his lips. "It was so obvious that you wanted Harry to look in that Pensieve. Why else would you make sure that he saw you using it before every lesson? You made a point of showing him that you were hiding something. It must have really galled you when he didn't sneak right into your office to see what it was. How many nights did you waste, waiting up hoping that Harry would break into your office? It must have driven you mad!"

Snape swallowed before he spoke. "I did not! I wanted to hide that memory from him. That is why I used the Pensieve!"

"Oh, give it a rest, Snivellus! Placing a memory into a Pensieve doesn't remove it from your own mind! Everyone knows that. It only allows you to view it from the outside... to gain a different perspective. You weren't hiding that memory. You thought there was no chance that Harry could penetrate your brilliant defenses. After all, you're more clever than Voldemort, what possible chance did Harry have of gaining entry into any part of your mind?"

Snape squirmed under this close scrutiny. "No, I never wanted him to see that."

"You wanted nothing but! For years you've been telling Harry what an arrogant bastard his father was, and for years he hasn't believed you. So you decided to show him instead. You selected that memory to prove that you were right and everyone else was wrong, then you laid your trap. You reckoned that Harry wouldn't be able to resist spying into that Pensieve, and then he would be to blame for finding out the truth. You could act the injured party to all concerned. It was a perfect plan, except for one thing." Snape looked back into his eyes, his gaze hot with fury. Harry's mind quailed, but somehow his body remained stiff. "What you forgot was that people grow. That's why everyone always tells Harry what a terrific bloke James was. It's the truth! Sure, he was a stuck-up prat at fifteen, we all were. But he grew out of it, and that's a little trick you haven't managed yet, is it? James grew up, that's when Lily came to love him. You stayed the same pathetic little toad you always were. Nobody remembers James at fifteen because of what he became later on, and everyone remember you that way for the self same reason."

No one spoke. There was no sound at all except for Harry's ragged breathing. He pocketed his wand and turned away. There were two doors in the room, one led to a flight of stairs which in turn led to the front hallway. The other, at the opposite end of the room, Harry had never gone through. He began to walk towards it. From behind him Harry heard the sudden rustling of robes. In an instant he turned, his wand already back in his hand. Snape had his wand drawn again and was raising it over his head to cast a spell. Dumbledore was half out of his seat reaching to intervene.

Without stopping to think, Harry cried, "Expelliarmus!" and Snape's wand flew into his outstretched hand.

In another instant, Harry had closed the distance between them again. His heart was racing and the tingling feeling was back, this time dancing over his entire body.

"Still backstabbing, Snivellus? Still too cowardly to face your opponent? Not that it mattered much, did it? You know, James was always better than you. At anything he cared to put his hand to, he would beat you. And now... Well, as they say: "Like Father, Like Son", eh?" His face was right up against the older man's, his breath pushing the greasy hair out of Snape's eyes. "So, tell me, Professor Snivellus, how does it feel to be bested by a sixteen year-old boy?" Snape's eyes held a hatred that Harry couldn't even begin to fathom. It was so strong that he wondered if there was room in the man's heart for any other emotion. Harry's mouth just sneered at his Potions Master.

"From now on, you'd best stick to your cookery," he said and, with a sharp crack, the pieces of Snape's broken wand were falling to the floor. Harry turned on his heel and stalked out of the rear door.

Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly as the sound of the door slamming echoed in the room.

"Ah," he said calmly, "now, at least, we know one thing for certain."

"Yes," Snape's voice had regained its oily edge, even though he held his hands within the sleeves of his robes to conceal the fact that they were shaking, "we know that Potter has gone quite insane."

Dumbledore looked at his Potions Master out of the corner of his eye and replied, "No, my dear Severus, we know that Sirius Black is, indeed, still alive. And now we must find a means of rescuing him from the arch before..."

Remus Lupin cut in, "before Harry goes and does something incredibly stupid and unbelievably brave like..."

"...doing it himself," Dumbledore concluded.

Snape drew his cloak around his shoulders. "But Headmaster, we must consider, is it worth it? He is, at best, only one man, one life. Is it worth the risk?"

"Severus, any life," Dumbledore said, looking Snape directly in the eye, "every life, is worth saving. You, above all others, should know that."

Snape returned the aged wizard's gaze for a moment, only a moment before changing the subject. "If you will excuse me, there is a meeting called for tonight and I must prepare for it."

"No, Severus, I think it would be best if you did not attend this evening's meeting."

"But, Headmaster, there may be items of some importance discussed."

"No, I really must insist. You are to return to Hogwarts and, please, remain within the grounds until we discuss this further." Dumbledore's tone left no room for argument. Dumbledore then sighed heavily. "My age is beginning to catch up with me, I'm afraid."

"What do you mean, Albus?" Remus asked quietly.

"Voldemort has indeed known about the link that joins him with Harry for some time, and I should have remembered as I am the one who told him about it." Both Snape and Remus stared in disbelief, Dumbledore returned their gazes sadly. "Two years ago, during the Triwizard Tournament, I discussed my concerns for Harry's safety with many people, including the person I thought was Alastor Moody. During these talks I mentioned how Harry has had dreams of Voldemort and how I suspected that the curse scar was some form of link. Barty Crouch obviously gave this information to Voldemort at some time during the year, thus giving seed to his plan to seize the prophesy and kill Harry. I'm sorry my friends, this is all my fault." Dumbledore looked as old as either Remus or Snape had ever seen him. There was no twinkle in his eye and the weight of the world seemed to hang on his shoulders.

Remus cleared his throat and spoke softly, "Headmaster, a wise man told me something once. He said, 'all we can do is our best, sometimes it simply isn't enough but it is all we have any right to expect, from ourselves or from others.' I think it is still good advice."

Dumbledore smiled at his former student and slowly nodded his head. "Indeed, but still, hindsight blesses us with many things we would rather have known earlier. Now I think it would be wise if you went and found Harry, before he gets into trouble."

Snape sneered sourly but Remus grinned. "He does seem to have an uncanny ability for that, doesn't he? Oh well, like father like son." Remus left the table not seeing the look of bitter revulsion cross his companion's face.

* * * * *

The corridor was dark and cobwebs hung thick from the ceiling. Harry strode down its length, not knowing where he was heading but heading there with a purpose regardless. Dim torches sputtered in the hall, coming to life as he approached and dying out again as he passed. At the end of the passage stood a door, for a moment Harry was eerily reminded of the passageway that had filled his dreams this past year. It wasn't true, what he had told them earlier, about his not knowing the dreams had meant anything. He had known all along, since the very first dream upon returning to Privet Drive, that the dreams were important. He just didn't know exactly what they meant or how they were important. If he had only told someone about them, if he had only asked, so much would have been different. But he didn't. He had just been so angry at being left out of everything, at being left isolated and alone, that he had wanted to spite them all. Well, he had certainly done a job of that.

He turned the knob and opened the door. The room on the other side was expansive. The ceiling was at least twenty feet high and the room as large as the largest classrooms at school. Small windows lined two opposite walls providing light, and Harry noticed that the third wall was actually two large double doors. This was a Carriage House, Harry realized, as he closed the door behind him. Proof of this sat on one side of the room in the form of a large carriage, not unlike the horseless - Thestral-drawn, Harry corrected himself - carriages at Hogwarts. This carriage had no traces, yokes, or harnesses however, it was truly horseless, and it seemed large enough to carry at least a half-dozen people in comfort. Tucked into the rear of the room was a tarp covered mound and it was to this that Harry was drawn.

Harry reached out a hand and noticed as he did so that it was trembling. He grasped the tarp and pulled it free, revealing a gleaming motorbike. It was a Triumph, he saw, like on the old key ring that Remus has tossed him just this morning, but it wasn't old. This obviously wasn't the same bike that Sirius had ridden in his youth. It was a modern sports bike, with bright yellow fairings and bodywork. Harry's eyes bulged and his hands itched to grab the throttle.

"Wow," said a voice behind him. Harry spun to see Remus Lupin standing in the doorway. A smile crossed the older man's lips as he looked at the machine before him. "I knew Sirius was thinking of getting this, but I didn't know he already had."

"Sirius got himself a new motorbike?" Harry asked astounded. "But how was he planning on riding it?"

"I don't even know how he managed to buy it, Harry," Remus answered, grinning, "but he wasn't planning on riding it. It was for you."

"Me?"

"Yes, Sirius was planning on giving it to you for your birthday. I told him to wait until next year when you would be old enough to ride it, but I guess he didn't want to."

"This was for me?" Harry couldn't believe it. Sirius had given him his Firebolt when he had first broken out of Azkaban, before Harry had even met him, but that was for all the missed birthdays. This... this was incredible.

"Now remember, Harry. You're not old enough to be licensed. You'll have to wait until you're seventeen to ride this bike," Remus said sternly, although the glint in his eyes told that he didn't really expect to be obeyed.

"Do you really think that, in a year, I'll be able to get a license to ride a flying, invisible motorbike?" Harry asked grinning.

"This bike doesn't fly," at least not yet, he thought, "and it certainly isn't invisible."

Harry reached out to the handlebars and hit a button, the outline of the bike shimmered and faded, obviously under some sort of disillusionment charm. If Sirius had had the time, and Remus suddenly realized that Sirius had had a LOT of time, to do this than the bike probably did fly as well. Remus shook his head ruefully, wondering what good could possibly come of this.

"This is brilliant," Harry crowed. Hitting the button again to return the bike to visibility, Harry straddled the saddle.

"Harry, you don't even know how to ride that thing," Remus said but, judging from the easy way that Harry sat the bike, he realized that riding was likely going to come as naturally to him as flying. Besides, Remus reckoned, with Sirius rattling around inside his head, Harry had a pretty good teacher already. The werewolf just shook his head; this was a battle he just wasn't going to win.

"So, Professor," Harry began with a wicked grin that Remus recognized from more than a decade ago, "would you..." Whatever Harry was going to say was cut off when a loud explosion rocked the carriage house.

With a wave of his wand, Remus opened one set of doors to the outside.

"Harry," he called turning to re-enter the house, "get out of here NOW!"

Harry knew that Death Eaters had attacked and the bike roared into life at the push of the starter. The door back into the house closed behind Remus as Harry, letting the voice inside his head take over, pulled in the clutch and kicked the bike down into first gear. Slipping the clutch, Harry tore the bike out of the garage and past the faded and peeling shingles of the house. Coming around the front of the building, Harry was thinking about which way to turn when out of the corner of his eye he saw someone... something.

It was Kreacher; the little house-elf was standing in the front yard of 12 Grimmauld Place practically dancing. Harry could see the vicious grin on his face as he clapped his hands to the sounds of destruction coming through the open front door. Giving the handlebars some hard right counter-steer, Harry felt the bike fall over onto its left side as he simultaneously gripped the front brake and rolled on the throttle. Gravel skidded from underneath the rear wheel as the bike pivoted on its front until it was pointed directly at Kreacher. Harry released the front brake and accelerated.

Kreacher never even had a chance to pop out of the way as the bike tore across the lawn and bowled him over. Just as he hit the elf, Harry skidded the bike again and began to head for the front steps. Jerking back hard on the handlebars as he accelerated Harry felt the front tire lift off the ground as he got to the steps and with a series of sharp jolts he climbed onto the front porch and rocketed through the door.

"KILL THEM ALL! DESTROY THE MUGGLE-LOVING SCUM!" the portrait of Sirius' mother screamed. Harry heard the sounds of battle coming from directly ahead and, gunning the bike forward, he charged. The stairs down to the kitchen were even harder on the bike's suspension, and Harry's, then the ones out front, but he didn't slow down as the bike ploughed into the kitchen. Harry saw that one Death Eater was down, at Dumbledore's feet, while three more dueled with the headmaster and former professor. Snape was pinned to the opposite wall by one masked figure, writhing under the Cruciatus curse. Then Harry suddenly realized that the Potions Master had no wand with which to defend himself. Harry had snapped it during their altercation earlier.

Accelerating at full throttle across the kitchen, the exhaust screaming in the enclosed space, Harry crossed the kitchen towards Snape. Harry fishtailed the bike and slammed the rear wheel into the shocked Death Eater's legs sending him sprawling. Released from the curse, Snape began to slump to the ground but Harry caught him and pulled the semi-conscious man across the gas tank. Harry recognized the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange as she bellowed, "INCENDIO!"

With Snape draped in front of him, Harry pointed the bike towards the door leading to the carriage house. Luckily, it was still open and the bike hurtled down the passage. Harry could feel the heat of the flames behind him and he imagined them growing closer, about to envelope them both as he tried to reach the other end in time. As he felt the flames licking at the back of his neck, Harry realized that Remus had closed the door to the carriage house. Harry braced for the crash but just before they struck, Harry felt Snape's hand grab the wand from his belt.

"Reducto," Snape called and the door exploded as the bike burst into the carriage house proper. Harry again skidded the bike around to point to the still open doors. 'One of these days,' Harry thought to himself oddly, 'I'm going to have to learn how to turn this thing properly.'

Harry raced out of the doors, down the drive, and into the street. He turned away from the house, just as it exploded in a pillar of flame, and raced away. Harry pulled the bike around, when he figured they were out of the danger zone, and came to a stop. He looked up at the column of smoke that had once been his godfather's home.

"Good riddance," he muttered and at once he began to wonder if Dumbledore and Remus had also made it out alive.

His question was answered as two loud cracks announced the Apparation of both Professor Dumbledore and Remus Lupin. The two men looked whole, if a little battered and singed. Harry felt Snape begin to struggle up from his awkward position and sat up straight to get out of his way. The man managed to stand and he stared Harry right in the eye.

"That was the most foolhardy display of bravado that I have ever witnessed," the Potions Master growled. "How dare you risk yourself in that manner. You should have immediately left the area! How could you be so reckless?"

"But we're certainly glad for it," Dumbledore interrupted. "Aren't we, Severus?"

Professor Snape only continued his ranting, "If you think that your little stunt means that I owe you my life, Mr. Potter, you are sadly mistaken. I was perfectly capable of dealing with that situation and your interference was NOT desired!"

Harry looked up at the older man and said, "I don't think you owe me anything, Professor. If anything, I reckon this makes us even. I didn't need your help either, back when Quirrell was jinxing my broom. I most likely would have lived through that fall. After all, I fell further when the Dementors knocked me off. But still I appreciated the assistance, even if I never said 'thank you'." Harry grinned wickedly. "Besides, by saving me from that fall, you gave me the opportunity to beat Slytherin for the first time."

Snape glowered at him, but Harry could see smiles on the faces of Dumbledore and Lupin.

"Albus," Remus said, "how did they know about this place? The protections and wards should have prevented their coming here."

Both men looked at Snape, but when Harry realized what they were thinking he interrupted.

"It was Kreacher," he said. "I saw him on the front lawn as I was leaving the first time." Now all three men were looking at him. "He just looked so happy about the attack that I..." Harry looked down at his shoes. "I, sort of, ran him over."

"Was he injured?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry looked up fiercely. "I hope so," he growled, "but somehow, I doubt it."

"Harry," Dumbledore began to explain, "we can not blame Kreacher for what he became. Perhaps if he was treated differently..."

"No, Professor, we can blame him. Dobby was raised in a household just a vile as Kreacher's, but he chose not to become evil himself. If Dobby can choose to be good, then why couldn't Kreacher choose to be evil?"

"Harry, he might not have had the opportunities here that..."

"No, Sirius was raised in the same house, and HE chose not to become evil. If he had a choice then Kreacher did too. Either way, the responsibility for his choices are his alone."

Dumbledore nodded his head slowly. "Perhaps you have a point, Harry. But now we must all leave quickly, before the Ministry appears and we are faced with a lot of uncomfortable questions. Harry, you must return to your Aunt and Uncle's, while the rest of us return to Hogwarts."

"Yes, sir," Harry said. He shifted uncomfortably for a moment before speaking further, "Um, Professor Snape?" Snape glared at him. "Could I have my wand back? Please?"

Snape thrust the wand into his robes and replied, "You will have your wand returned, Potter, after you arrange to replace my own." Harry blushed slightly and nodded.

Dumbledore broke in, "Now, might I suggest that we all be off?"

"Yes, sir, Headmaster!" Harry said with a grin as he gunned the motorbike back into life and tore off down the street.

"Perhaps, I ought to have been a bit more specific with young Mister Potter," Dumbledore said with a grin.

Remus smiled widely. "Honestly, I don't know what we are going to do with that boy."

"Perhaps Educational Decree Number Twenty-nine," was all that Snape said.